


Middle, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Post Bartlett Administration, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-10
Updated: 2005-03-10
Packaged: 2019-05-15 20:38:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14797574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Josh and Donna 5 years later.





	1. Middle, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**The Middle**

**by: Dee**

**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
 **Rating:** MATURE  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine. His.   
**Summary:** Josh and Donna 5 years later. Sequel to "The Beginning"  
 **Feedback:** Fun.   


"Yes, Mom. I know. He thinks I did it on purpose just to upstage him." 

Josh came out of the bathroom to find Donna in bed and on the phone with one of the Mom's. "Is that your mom, Mom or my mom, Mom?" he whispered as he got into his side of the bed. 

"Your mom, Mom," she whispered back with her hand over the receiver. "I know as if I could control when and how his little guyhooked up with my girl."

"Gross, Donna don't mention my little guys to my mother."

"Josh is getting squeamish because we're talking about sex, Mom." Donna laughed and turned to Josh. "She says how do you think you got here?"

"Oh man!"

Donna laughed outright and felt the baby kick in response. 

Josh reached out and rubbed Donna's protruding belly where he could actually see his child moving, then reached for the receiver. "Let me have it, I want to talk to her."

"Josh wants to talk to you." Donna waited a beat. "She doesn't want to talk to you Josh."

"Why not?"

"She says you're not doing enough to beef up the rhetoric on prescription drugs for Medicare recipients."

"What? It's been in my last three speeches. And tell her I don't have to beef up the rhetoric because every person over the age of 65 living in Connecticut has already moved to Florida."

"Did you hear that Mom?" Donna listened to her mother-in-law's response. "She says you're never going to get elected with that kind of attitude.

"Did you tell her that in my last state senatorial election I won with an unprecedented…"

"Sixty-seven percent of the vote, yes Josh we know," Donna assured him. Then she heard his mother's response and nodded. "She says thiis the big time now and you need to nail down the senior vote."

"Great, now I'm getting campaign strategy from my mother. Could you mention to her please that I wrote the book on campaign strategy."

"We wrote the book on campaign strategy." It said so right on the cover. Josh Lyman and in smaller letters at the bottom, Donna Moss. She actually had to give Josh credit for fighting with the publisheron her behalf to get equal credit, but in the end they were counting on his name to sell the book. 

"Daddy, Mommy, I can't sweep." 

Donna and Josh turned their heads to find their son leaning against the doorframe in his footy pajamas, with an elephant clutched under his arm. The elephant had been a gift from Ainsley and much to Josh'dismay it had quickly become Nathan's favorite. 

"I got to go Mom, Nate's bucking bed time again. So you and Kurt are coming? I'm due November 4th so why don't you plan for the following week. Okay. Love you. Yes, I'll kiss him for you. Bye."

"Is that a kiss for me?"

"Nope. Nate."

"Figures." Josh held his arms out for his son who all but staggard into them. "Buddy, we talked about this," he said as he hauled him onto the bed and stuffed him in between him and Donna. "You've got give yourself a chance to sleep."

"I twied. I counted voters and evewything."

Donna smiled. "How many did you get to?"

"Ten," he said holding up five fingers. 

"Well, he's no math genius," Josh quipped.

"Josh!" Donna admonished. "No mocking our son. Nate, Daddy will take you to bed and tuck in you special, okay?"

"Kay," he said sleepily.

"Why do I have to get up?" Josh grumbled already lifting the boy into his arms.

"Because I'm seven months pregnant."

"That's your excuse for everything."

"Yeah but it's such a good one."

"Come on, Nate." Josh carried the boy back to his room and placed him down in his crib realizing that the bars were pretty much useless since he had figured out how to lower them himself. So maybe he wasn't a math genius, but that didn't mean he wasn't an overall genius. 

"I want to sweep with mommy."

"Can't."

"Why?"

It was his son's favorite question. Josh's mother howled every time she heard him ask it and loved to tell Josh on such occasions that pay back was a bitch.

"Because I sleep with mommy. You sleep with Snuffles."

Josh tucked the treacherous elephant next to him and made sure the blanket was wrapped around him tight. He brushed his hair back from his eyes and thought that he needed a haircut. Suddenly it occurreto him that his baby was growing into a sturdy little boy. "You knowhen the new baby comes you're going to move into the big boy bed."

"I know. I can do it."

Josh smiled at his show of courage.

"Can I take Snuffles?" Nate asked indicating the elephant.

"I guess," Josh said trying to hide his bitterness.

"And my sistew is gonna sweep here?"

"The baby will, yes."

"I want a sistew," Nate said firmly.

"You do huh? You know sisters are a lot of work."

"I know."

"You've got to look after them and protect them and make sure nothinhappens to them."

"Kay," Nate whispered. "Maybe I can sweep with her."

"Can't."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to sleep in your big boy bed."

"Oh." Nate seemed to consider this. "Then I'll give hew Snuffles. He can watch hew."

"Or maybe we can get a new friend for her. A donkey," Josh suggested.

"Kay." His eyes were already drooping and Josh stayed a minute twatch the magic of his son drifting off into a deep sleep.

When he got back to the bedroom Donna was clutching the monitor against her now significant chest and sniffling.

"Oh geeze Donna what are you crying about now?"

It was common knowledge that she got slightly more emotional during pregnancy, which resulted in tears, which resulted in making Josh feel like a heel most of time because he was usually the one making her cry. 

Last night he made her cry because he ate the last Oreo cookie

She sniffled and tried to tell him that she heard him talking to Nate about watching out for a sister and how touched she was by it thinking he must have been remembering Joanie, but it came out as, "I don't…snuff, snuff… know."

He shook his head and got into bed with her setting the monitor dowon the nightstand. Sitting next to her he rubbed her belly loving the movement of the little life that was growing underneath.

"Nate's convinced it's a girl."

"Me too," Donna said.

"You thought Nate was a girl."

"I did not."

"Did too. You called him Nellie for months and read sissy fairy tales to him in the womb. He's probably going to have a complex."

"He is not," Donna said although she did remember going a little heavy on the Cinderella and Snow White. "So your Mom and Kurt ardefinitely coming."

"Great," Josh grunted clearly not excited by the idea.

"Josh, you need to get over this."

"But when they come they share the same room!"

"Because they are lovers."

"Okay, Donna I have begged you not to use that word in reference to my mother."

"Well, they are. And you're being silly. Just because your mom is with Kurt doesn't mean that she loved your father any less. And I'm sure your father would have wanted her to be happy. If you died wouldn't you want me to find someone else?"

He looked at her like she had two heads. "No."

"So you would want me to raise our children all by myself and never find happiness with another man again?"

"Yeah that pretty much covers it."

Donna glared at him.

"Oh yeah, like you would want me to marry some other woman."

"I would. I would want you to be happy and if that meant remarrying then that's what I would want."

"You're saying I can marry anyone I want and she can live here and raise our kids."

Donna considered this. "Well, she can't live here."

"Uh huh."

"And she can't actually … touch my children," Donna stated rubbing her belly protectively.

"Uh huh."

"And of course you could never have sex with her, but other thathat, I would hope that you could be happy."

"Yeah. Let's just say I'll be courteous to Kurt."

"I'll take it."

"Isn't your mom going to be upset that my mom is getting first dibs? This was an issue last time."

"No, Daddy is having a hard time adjusting to the retirement no work thing. The last time she left him to go visit my Aunt Sally for a weekend he gained seven pounds because he would only eat McDonaldsSo she said she would wait for our Christmas visit. But you know who does want to come?"

"Who?"

Donna paused which made Josh suspicious. He knew that any time Donna hesitated in news delivery it was because it was bad news. "Oh no, no way. Not Maris."

"But she is so good with Nate! She wants to see him."

"She wants to flirt with Sam."

"So? He's single, she's single."

"He's too old for her. She's like what … twelve?"

"She's twenty seven which is only one more year in age differencthan what we have between us."

Josh did the math in his head and realized she was right. "That one year makes a big difference."

"Josh," Donna said dismissing him. "I'm going to need help. Everything is going to be happening then. You're going to need to me to go to all those parties with you after you win."

He leaned over and kissed her.

"What was that for?"

"That you just take it for granted I'm going to win."

"The numbers look good, Josh," Donna said with a knowing smile. 

"Yeah," he agreed almost in disbelief. "I think I'm a few months away from becoming a United States Senator."

"And I'm a few months away from becoming a United States Senator's wife. Pretty heady stuff."

He leaned over and kissed her again. "You can tell Maris she can come, but I swear your sister is deluding herself if she thinks she's going to rope Sam in."

"We'll see. We Moss women are very persuasive when we want to be. I got you didn't I?"

"I got you," he corrected.

"Na huh. I hooked you line and sinker."

"Donna I got you to move here with me. It was all my plan, remember."

"You only think it was your plan."

"You're just doing that to mess with my head aren't you?"

She was. It was good to keep her skills sharp. Instead of answerinhim she smiled knowingly which would also mess with his head and then leaned in to kiss him again.


	2. Middle, The 2

 

**The Middle**

**by: Dee**

**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
 **Rating:** MATURE  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine. His.   
**Summary:** Josh and Donna 5 years later. Sequel to "The Beginning"  
 **Feedback:** Fun.   


* * *

"Morning buddy," Josh told his son as he rubbed his hair on his wapast the kitchen table on route to the coffee machine. 

"Morning buddy," Nate returned and took another spoonful of his cereal. 

Josh looked over at Donna who was sitting across from Nate giggling at the funnies. "Is this decaf?"

"No, it's a new caffeinated pot just for you."

"You do love me."

"I suppose."

Josh poured a cup then joined his family at the table.

"You want something to eat?" Donna asked.

"No."

"You should eat something Josh. You've got a busy day and the last time you had this kind of a day you forgot lunch and you didn't get dinner until after eight… it was all rather ugly."

"I'm not hungry now. I'll make sure Charlie schedules lunch. Besides I think I'm putting on weight. I had to loosen my belt a notch."

"That's because when you do eat during the day, it's usually junk. You know you're not twenty five anymore, Josh."

"I'm not?" He seemed genuinely shocked by this idea.

"I'm just saying skipping the fries and going for a nice side salad wouldn't hurt."

"Yeah right," he snorted, but peeked down and thought that his stomach definitely seemed more … pronounced than he remembered it being.

"Whatever, just don't let Stu make you feel guilty about stopping."

"Stu's an idiot, trust me he won't make me feel guilty."

Donna shook her head and passed him the front page. "I will never understand why you keep him as your campaign manager when you sclearly don't like him, don't trust him, and don't listen to him."

"He was Lustig's boy and I didn't want to offend the old man by saying no. Besides it's not like I'm some novice candidate. I know what I'm doing and I've got Charlie to handle the day to day stuff."

The doorbell rang then. 

"Speaking of Charlie," Josh said and got up to let him in

They walked back into the kitchen. "Pour yourself a cup Charlie. It's okay it's the real the stuff not Donna's fake coffee."

"It's called decaf Josh."

"Whatever."

"Hey Donna, hey Nate."

"Hi Chawlie!" Nate held out his elephant to him.

Charlie hesitated, but he knew he wasn't going to get out of it. "Hi Snuffles."

Satisfied Nate tucked him back under his arm and announced. "Mommy says that Snuffles is a publican."

"Donna!" Josh shouted.

She laughed at her own little practical joke. She had planted thaone weeks ago and had been waiting for the payoff. "What? He can't help what he is, Josh."

"Nate come with me. We need to talk." Josh carried his son out of the room but let Snuffles behind.

Charlie chuckled and helped himself to a cup of coffee then called out to Josh. "We've got to get going soon. You've got town meeting, a nursing home and a dedication of a new civic center in Hartford."

"Charlie can I see his schedule?" 

Charlie handed his planner to Donna. And watched as she made a few notes.

"Old habits are hard to break I guess."

She smiled at him. "Just getting back into practice."

Nate returned to the kitchen in a fit of giggles as his fathecontinued to tickle his ribs as he walked.

"Practice for what?" Josh asked catching the tail end of the conversation.

"You know, for when I make the miraculous transformation from Donna Lyman mild mannered and supportive candidate's wife back to Donna Lyman wonder assistant and task master."

Josh looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Me going back to work. It actually works out really well. Nate will be ready for pre-school," she turned to Charlie and added. "He's very advanced. And the little one will be at least three months old and …"

"I thought you liked staying home with Nate."

"I did. I loved it. But Josh your numbers right now are at…"

"Fifty-nine percent," Charlie supplied.

"Fifty-nine percent. You're going to win this and when you do you know you're going to dump Stu. Charlie can't handle the load bhimself. You're going to need a staff, that means Charlie, that means communications, and that means an assistant."

"Yeah but Donna I can get anybody to answer the phones…." he closed his mouth a second too late. In the five years they had been married, Donna had struggled to teach the Josh the concept of thinking before he spoke which she told him would greatly benefit their marriage and in turn mean more sex for him over the long run. For the most parhe'd been making headway.

Except for today.

"Answer. The. Phones?" she asked with a steely tone that warned Josh trouble was coming.

"Uh oh," Charlie said closing his eyes. "Maybe I should take Nate and Snuffles to safe ground." Nate looked up from his cereal at the mention of his name, but quickly dismissed the adults.

"No," Donna told Charlie. "You need to leave. He can't be late. It leaves a bad impression with voters."

Josh approached her carefully. "Donna, you know that I know that yodid more than answer phones. You … you… did other stuff too and …"

"Josh stop right there before we say anything we might regret."

"You mean before I say anything I might regret."

"Exactly."

"We're going to have a fight tonight aren't we?" he sighed wearily.

She waddled up to him then and put her arms around his neck and kissed him quickly on the mouth. "Yep. So I need you to save just a little bit of energy or else you're going to get creamed."

He kissed her back and nodded in resignation. "Let's go Charlie. I want to get this day over with as soon as possible so I can come back to my loving wife so we can get in a fight," he mocked.

"Married man walking," Charlie muttered falling in step behind him.

The two left and Nate got out of his chair and wrapped his arms around Donna's leg. "Mommy, Daddy said Snuffles was a demi cat."

"Oh he did, did he?"

"Yeah but I thought he was a el-phant."

With considerable effort given her significant girth Donna got down on her knees and looked her son in the eye. "Nathan it's time you understood something very important."

"What?" he whispered.

"Sometimes Daddy doesn't know what he's talking about."

The boy seemed to weigh this information and finally nodded in acceptance. 

"See that's why you never want to get married, Charlie." They were seated in the back of the chauffeured town car that Josh had hired for the duration of the campaign. Chuck the driver knew the state like the back of his hand so little instructions were required and it made it easier for him and Charlie to talk strategy and read briefing memos without the hassle driving. 

"Uh huh."

"Marriage is nothing but one big long headache."

Charlie was currently reading a memo about a possible site for a nuclear plant outside of Torrington that people were protesting. It would create jobs within the state, but the environmental concerns had to be weighed. 

"Right," he muttered not really paying attention.

"You think every thing is fine. You think she's happy then bam… want to go back to work. What does she want to go back to work for?"

"Maybe she likes working?"

"Yeah but she would be working for me?"

"That's true."

"I'm not some Neanderthal. I'm not saying women should be kept barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen or anything like that."

"You just happen to like the fact that Donna is barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen."

"Yeah," Josh admitted. "I am a Neanderthal."

"Yep."

"But everything has been great. Nate is happy. Donna is happy. I'm happy. She's been talking about maybe writing another book. Aassistant's point of view of day-to-day life in the White House. I'm all for that."

"There you see you're not totally against using her talents for something other than being your wife."

"Right! And the fact is I'm going to need her as a wife more than ever if I win this thing."

"When you win this," Charlie corrected. He'd put a lot of effort into this campaign and he had no intention of losing.

"We're going to need to entertain and attend all kinds of functions."

"You should tell her about all the new dresses she's going to get to buy."

Josh scowled at him. "You're mocking me?"

"Yes, I believe I am."

"Read me my schedule."

Charlie opened his planner and read the day's agenda. "Ten is the Town Meeting in Bridgeport. We will hook up with Stu there. Then we drive up to Litchfield for a chat with the seniors at two. Then…"

"What?"

Charlie smiled at him. "Donna wrote something in here."

"What?"

"Stop for lunch, eat a salad and call your wife and tell her you love her at three."

Josh sighed. "Make sure you schedule some time so I can…."

"Pick her up a present for when you apologize?"

"You know you're sort of getting scary the way you do that."

Charlie simply smiled and went back to his brief.

*****

It was past eight. The civic center dedication had run long and then there had been an accident, which had back up traffic on the highway. That and the fact that Josh had to stop for a gift had made the day impossibly long.

"Why a baby gift?" Charlie asked as they approached the turn off tJosh's house. "Shouldn't you have gone with flowers or candy or something like that?"

"No. See Donna's a mush when it comes to anything baby related. She'll take one look at the snuggly and the tears will well up and it will be impossible for her to yell at me. Trust me."

"If you say so. I would have gone with flowers."

"Not that it matters anyway. You see, Donna gets … well lets just sashe's gets a little amorous during her pregnancy and she…needs me. If you know what I mean."

"Josh."

"Yeah."

"That's a little too much information."

"Kay."

The car pulled to a stop in the driveway. "You coming in?"

"No way," Charlie said without hesitation.

Josh looked at the house and took a deep breath preparing himself for the long night ahead. "See Charlie this is why you never want to get married."

Charlie shook his head. "You love being married."

"Yeah, I do."

"Take your baby gift and go. I'll pick you up tomorrow. We've got Harvard and Yale on the agenda."

"See you tomorrow. Night Chuck."

"Night Mr. Lyman."

Josh took his gift and his brief case with him. He missed the days when he used to be able to carry a backpack over his shoulder, but Donna had insisted that he give it up on the grounds that it wasn't senatorial enough. Whatever the hell that meant.

He walked into the house and found her curled up on the couch with a book. "Hey."

"Hey. I just put Nate down. You have time to say goodnight if you hurry."

Josh put his suitcase and gift down and jogged up the steps. He found his son safe in his crib talking to Snuffles. 

"Hey buddy," he said softly not wanting to startle him.

"Daddy!"

Josh reached his hand in and smoothed his hair away from his son's face as was his habit. Nate was smiling at him and it thrilled Joson a deep level that his son was always so excited to see him. 

"I just came up to say goodnight."

"Okay. Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"You said Snuffles was a demi cat, but he's not, he's a el-phant."

Josh chuckled. "You're right, he's an elephant."

"It's okay. Mommy says sometimes you don't know what to talk about."

Yep that sounded a lot like mommy.

"Goodnight Nate. See you in the morning." Josh was almost too the door when his son said again.

"Snuffles is a el-phant."

"I know."

"And a publican."

Josh's head fell in defeat. "I love you."

"Love you."

He came downstairs and found Donna already holding up the snuggly outfit

"It's pink," he told her hoping she got the message.

"I can see that," she said coolly.

Uh oh. No tears. Bad sign. 

She laid the outfit down and headed for the kitchen. "Come on, I have dinner warming for you."

Josh followed obediently. He got a beer out of the fridge and sat down at the table. Donna put a plate of steak, mashed potatoes, and peas down in front of him. The hominess of the act wasn't lost on him. He figured if he had any chance at all he needed to get a jump-start. 

"Donna you know the reason I don't want you to work, isn't so I can have my dinner made for me when I get home."

She sat down at the table next to him. "It isn't?"

"No. I'm not going lie and say I don't like it. Hell, I love it. I love coming home to you. I love this place that you've made for us. It's safe and warm and it centers me. But it's not about thatBesides I thought you were happy."

"I am."

"Is it because it's not enough of a challenge for you. Because if that's the case then I think you starting on the new book…"

"Josh keeping this house up, raising Nate, and handling the sociaend of the campaign is all very challenging. Add to that the fact that I'm currently walking around like a penguin and it's even more so. That's not why I want to go back to work."

"Then why? You remember what's it like Donna. The hours are long and chaotic. Granted running a Senator's office isn't exactly as consuming as running a White House but it's the next closest thing."

"Exactly," she said reaching out to touch his arm

That was comforting. She couldn't be too angry with him if she was touching him. 

"Josh…"

The doorbell rang and both of their heads turned. It was late and certainly not a normal time for visitors. However, it wasn't the first time they had had a surprise guest stop by. 

Josh got up and headed for the door. He opened it and was honestly shocked.

"Toby."

"Hello."

Josh didn't know what to say. He hadn't spoken to or seen Toby in years. He hadn't come to the wedding. He'd only sent a card when Nate was born. And the last time he talked to him on the phone, Toby had been out of his mind drunk two years ago last May on the anniversary of the shooting.

"Come in."

"Thanks." 

"Toby," Donna said hoping her voice hadn't given away her shock.

"Hi Donna. Wow, you're… again."

She rested a hand on her belly and smiled. For a moment the three of them stood there not quite knowing what to say. Donna came to her senses first. She walked over to him and hugged him and held on to him until his arms circled her. 

"I can't reach my arms around you," Toby noted.

"Toby, a little lesson. Never tell a pregnant woman you can't reach your arms around her." Donna let him go with a smile.

"Okay."

"Follow me. Josh is eating and I can put some leftovers on for you. Josh why don't you get Toby's bag out of his car and set him up in the guest room."

"I actually have a hotel room…" Toby began.

"No you don't," Donna told him.

"No I don't," he admitted.

"I'll get your bags," Josh said heading for the car.

"What's for dinner?" Toby asked following Donna to the kitchen.

"Steak, mashed potatoes and peas."

"I don't like peas.

"Tough."

Toby smiled then and desperately tried to contain this sudden urge he had to cry. Finally he managed to get out, "Thank you."

"What are friends for? Now sit down and eat. Then you can tell us where the hell you've been for the last five years."


	3. Middle, The 3

 

**The Middle**

**by: Dee**

**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
 **Rating:** MATURE  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine. His.   
**Summary:** Josh and Donna 5 years later. Sequel to "The Beginning"  
 **Feedback:** Fun.   


* * *

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything," Toby began awkwardly diving into his potatoes as if he hadn't eaten in a year. His other hand was wrapped around the beer bottle Josh had handed him

"Just a fight. You saved Josh from being creamed."

Toby looked at Josh was sitting behind Donna silently shaking his head and making his "Yeah right" face. 

"I see you Joshua. You were going to get creamed."

"How do you see me? You're looking at Toby."

"I just do."

Josh stopped shaking his head. "So Toby…"

"Yeah."

"How have you been?"

"Josh don't push him," Donna said. "He'll talk when he's ready ttalk." She waited for a minute. "So how have you been?"

Toby smiled and put down his fork. He took a swig of his beer ansighed. He'd finished it already but he didn't want to ask for another one so soon. "I've been good. I've been in New York. Working here and there. I'm sorry I couldn't make the wedding."

"We got the menorah. It was beautiful."

"I would have been there. I just… CJ said you were beautiful."

Josh batted his eyelids. "Well, let's face it CJ always did have a thing for me."

"Of course I meant your…wife. Wow that sounds weird."

"Wait until you hear Nate call her mommy. Sometimes I still looaround to see who he's talking to."

"That's right. Where is the kid?"

"He's sleeping now," Josh said. "Trust me though you won't miss him in the morning. He's sort of … what's the word you would use Donna?"

"Loquacious?"

"Effusive."

"I like my word better."

"You're just saying that because you're still mad about the answering the phones comment."

"Actually I had forgotten about that. But way to remind me right before we go to bed."

"Let me get this straight… the two of you produced a talkative kid. Shocking."

"He's great," Josh said smiling proudly.

"He's Josh," Donna concluded.

"He's you," Josh told her reaching out to grab her hand. She took iand squeezed it and gave him a look. Oh yeah, there would be nfighting in bed tonight. 

"So now you're on to number two," Toby said shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Josh you need another beer?"

"Sure," Josh gave Donna look and shook his head gently. "Why don't you go up to bed? I'll be up soon."

He stood up and gripped both of her hands helping to lift her weight out of the chair. Once she was standing he bent down to kiss her sweeping his tongue past her lips as a prelude for later tonight.

She backed off. "Oh please. Don't even think you're off the hook."

"What? I bought the snuggly. I gave you credit for Nate when clearly I control a majority of his gene code and you know… you might need some tonight," he whispered.

"Hmmm," Donna mused closing her eyes as if taking her body's temperature. "I don't think so. Not tonight. Nope, definitely hormone free tonight."

"Well see," he said smiling. He swatted her butt as she walked past.

She walked up to Toby and gave him a kiss on the cheek, clearly flustering him. "Night Toby."

"Uh… uh… good night." He watched her walk away with a dazed look on his face.

"What's the matter? Never been kissed by a pregnant woman?"

"Not lately," he said handing Josh a beer.

"You know this isn't our second. I mean second pregnancy. Donna miscarried about two years ago. She's still a little sensitive about it so we don't like to refer to this baby as number two. She thinks it's bad luck."

"Oh. God. I'm sorry… I didn't…."

"No it's fine. It wasn't common knowledge." Except to Leo, Sam, CJ, Charlie, their families and the President. Toby had somehow gotten out of the loop. Josh was hoping to find out why. 

The two sat down again at the kitchen table. Josh considered showing him to the living room, but it felt right for them to sit around the kitchen table. Like old times

"So where have you been?"

"I told you. New York."

"No," Josh corrected him. "I mean where have you been."

Toby didn't try to pretend he didn't know what Josh was asking. 

He took another swig of his beer. "You got any thing stronger?"

"I think I've got a bottle of bourbon in the liquor cabinet. I'll bback." Josh came back with the bottle in hand. He took a glass and dropped some ice in it from the refrigerator and handed it and the bottle to Toby. 

"You're not joining me."

"Can't. Charlie will ring my neck. I've got a thing to do at UContomorrow."

"That's right. Senator Lyman. How's it going?"

"Good. I'm at fifty-nine. I'd like to see that climb."

"Charlie's running things."

"Mostly. I've got this guy named Stu, you remember him he used to work for…"

"Senator Lustig," Toby recalled. "He's an idiot."

"Yeah. Anyway he's been out of the loop for awhile. Lustig wanted to get him back in the game, but I'm not taking him to Washington with me."

Toby nodded. "Charlie's young."

Josh laughed "So I keep him telling. To which he reminds me that he is the same age I was when I got Hoynes elected. He says it's symmetry. And he's brilliant at strategy. He's true to our goals buin a way that really sways moderates. He's not as good with the press, but he's learning."

"Sounds it."

"My latest dilemma is that Donna wants to come back to work for me."

"She didn't suffer you enough while we were in the White House." Then he thought about that. "I guess not. She married you."

"I'm working on talking her out of it. Nate turned out so great I want her to do with this new one whatever she did with him."

Toby finished his bourbon and poured himself another. 

"So I'm still waiting," Josh said not unaware of what Toby had done by moving the conversation away from him.

"I've been in New York."

"What happened Toby?"

"Nothing. That was the problem nothing happened. It was over and I … It wasn't the same for me as it was for everyone else. You all had plans. Sam had his boat thing."

"Yeah. That didn't work out so well for him."

"CJ had a job lined up with that woman's group for Breast Cancer Awareness. Leo and the President could walk away and say they ditheir best. They'd given enough of themselves to their country and to the people. And you… you had Donna. You had the book. You had Donna," Toby repeated and took anther drink. He stood and paced because it felt right to do so. He clutched his hand and for a moment wished he had his ball again. "You know I tried to get back together with my ex."

"Did you?"

"Yeah but her new husband wasn't thrilled with the idea. Go figure."

Josh noticed Toby's hand for the first time. "You took it off."

Toby glanced down at the finer that used to hold his wedding ring. Now there was just a white mark. "It was one thing to get divorced. I thought fine we can do that. But I had pledged before God that she was my wife and she always would be. Then she got married. Somehow wearing a ring from some other man's wife didn't feel right."

"You should have come to us Toby. We're family."

"Yeah. I just couldn't… You all seemed to be able to move on and I … couldn't."

"Why now? Why me?"

Toby turned to him. "I need a job, Josh."

"Done."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, it's not like I need to see references. I can't pay you much, but that's not new for this business. And you have to do what I say now."

"I can't do that."

"Okay, you're hired anyway." Josh stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're in the second bedroom on the right. I put yousuitcase up there already. Sleep well."

Toby watched him leaved amazed at how fast that had just happenedHe'd been gone for years and in minutes it was like he'd never really left.

*****

"What did he say?" Donna whispered as Josh got into bed and curled up behind her. He placed a hand on her belly and could feel the gentle movement of his child underneath. Apparently the little one was up and active. No wonder she hadn't fallen asleep yet.

"Not much. He wants a job."

"And you hired him."

"Yep."

"He can stay here with us for a while. It will be good for him."

"Kay," Josh kissed her neck and settled down into the pillow.

"How come you'll take him back but you won't take me."

And he'd almost made it. "Donna," he began.

"Never mind. We'll talk about this later. You've got U Conn tomorrow. And besides that…" She shifted her bottom against his lap.

"Uh oh. Let me guess. Hormones acting up a little bit?"

"You better not be smirking Josh. If I turn around and you're smirking you're a dead man."

Josh tried to eliminate all traces of smirking from his face. Donna turned on to her back then on to her side again raising herself up oher arms. She studied his face and decided that he passed the smirking test. "It's just that I need it," she pouted.

"I know. I know. And I'm here to serve," he said with a little bit of a smirk as he reached his hand around her neck to pull her down for his kiss. An expectant father's work was never done.

*****

Toby cracked open his eyes and felt the dull throb of headache behinhis skull. Since this was exactly how he felt every morning it didn'bother him so much. What did bother him was the sense that he wasn't in his apartment. This room was filled with sun and the sheets smelled a lot fresher.

And then there was the strange sensation of being watched. He liftehis head and saw a little boy sitting on his bed wearing Star Wars footy pajamas and holding a gray elephant under one arm and starinat him. This definitely wasn't his apartment. 

"Hi," the boy said.

Toby sat up a bit and nodded. "Hello."

"My name is Nathan Alexandew Lyman." He actually stretched his hand out. 

Toby shook the little hand and wondered if he wasn't still dreaming.

"My mommy and daddy call me Nate. Who awe you?"

"I'm Tobias Jeremiah Ziegler. Your mommy and daddy call me Toby."

"This is Snuffles," Nate introduced holding the elephant out. "He's a el-phant."

"I see that."

"And a publican."

"Well we'll need to fix that."

"Daddy says he's a demi-cat but mommy says daddy doesn't know what to talk about."

"Okay."

"My daddy is going to be a senatow and I'm going to get a sistew. My daddy says I have to take cawe of hew, but I have to sweep in the big boy bed. So I'm going to give hew a new donkey."

"Okay."

"Awe you my mommy and daddy's fwiend?"

"Yes."

"Like Sam and Chawlie?"

"Yes."

Nate seemed to weigh this information. He shuffled closer to Toby's face and patted him on the cheek. Then he rubbed his hand over his beard and giggled when it tickled his hand

"Nathan!" Donna stood in the doorway dressed in a long robe. "What did I tell you about waiting for me to come get you out of bed?"

"Sowwy mommy. This is Toby Wiggle. He's my new fweind."

"I'm sorry Toby. He's learned to work the bars of his bed and now there seems to be no containing him."

"That's okay."

"Come on, Nate. Let's go downstairs and get some juice and cereal."

"Kay." The little boy turned back to Toby. "You want some juice anceweal. It's weal good. My mommy makes it the best."

"Well, if she makes the best cereal. I'll be right down."

Satisfied with his answer Nate hopped off the bed and took himother's hand. Toby watched them leave and thought that the kid looked like a shrunken version of Josh.

*****

Donna put on the coffee going straight for the regular, deciding thashe was in the mood for tea. 

She set Nate up in his booster chair with his favorite sippy cup and poured the Cheerios into his favorite bowl. Nate, like his father, was very particular about his food and his utensils. 

The doorbell rang and Donna went to let Charlie in. "Guess who'here!" she said as soon as she opened the door. 

"I assume the person driving the rental car parked in your driveway."

"It's Toby," Donna whispered leading him back into the kitchen.

"Toby Ziegler."

"Yes."

"Is here?"

"Yes. Upstairs." Donna handed Charlie a cup and he poured his coffee.

"Hi Chawlie!"

"Hey Nate," then after a pause. "Hey Snuffles. Toby's here. Wow. Did he say where he's been?"

"Toby Wiggle's my fwiend," Nate announced.

Donna smiled at her son then turned back to Charlie. "No. Josh was up with him last night but we didn't really talk about it after he came to bed. I sort of had … other priorities."

"Donna."

"Too much information?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Anyway Josh hired him."

"He did."

"He did," Toby said from the kitchen doorway. "Hello Charlie."

Charlie wasn't quite sure what to do. So he held out his hand to the older man and Toby shook it. "Good to see you."

"Good to be seen."

"Good morning one and all!" Josh greeted, for some reason feeling inordinately pleased with life this morning. Of course it could be the great sex from the night before, or the fact that the prodigal son had returned. Naah, it was probably the great sex

"Daddy Toby Wiggle is my new fwiend."

"Good to know." Josh ruffled his son's hair. "So Charlie, I've hired this new guy to help us get our message out. He's sort of been out of touch for a while, but I'm thinking he can handle the pressures of a national campaign. What do you think?"

Charlie smiled and looked to Toby. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks. What's on the schedule?"

"Today it's the University of Connecticut. We're aggressively goinafter the eighteen to twenty five vote."

"Yeah, I'm going to kill them with a bunch of college stories…"

"Oh no Josh," Donna stopped him. "Not the keg stand story."

"What it's priceless?"

"At the end of that particular story you fall and have to get stitches. I don't think pursuing the eighteen to twenty-five vote means convincing them you're a colossal idiot," Toby noted.

The three of them looked at him and he suddenly felt very exposed. 

Josh simply smiled at him. "Welcome back, Toby. Welcome back."


	4. Middle, The 4

 

**The Middle**

**by: Dee**

**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
 **Rating:** MATURE  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine. His.   
**Summary:** Josh and Donna 5 years later. Sequel to "The Beginning"  
 **Feedback:** Fun.   


* * *

"We have a problem.

Josh looked away from the mirror over the vanity where he wastraightening his tie. "What?"

"Sandy can't make it. Her mother just called. She's got the flu."

"But it's our anniversary."

"I know," Donna said a little forlornly smoothing her new maternity dress over her belly. "But what can she do? She's got a fever."

"Isn't there anyone else?"

"I called Charlie. He's on a date."

"He's on a date six weeks before the election!"

"You gave him the night off remember. You were taking the night off so he was going to take the night off, a night he so richly deserves for having struggled and worked so hard for you for the past ninmonths.

"Oh. Right. Well, what about Toby."

Donna hesitated. 

"What's wrong with Toby? Nate's crazy about him."

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong with Toby, it's just…"

"Donna what is it?"

"Surely you've noticed… I mean you have a few beers every now and then. I do too when I'm not pregnant, but Toby..."

"So he drinks a little more than rest of us, Donna. He always hasIt's not like he's driving anywhere."

"But what if he has to?"

Josh sighed. "I guess we can do dinner another night. It's not like we don't have multiple anniversaries."

"We have two Josh. The day you hired me and the day we were married."

"What about the day we first did it," he said walking towards her anwrapping his arms around her full waist so he could bring her bellinto contact with his. "In the backyard if I remember correctly. You were an animal."

"You can't count that as an anniversary, Josh," she smiled shyly. "Can you?"

"Okay, we can lose that one but we're keeping the one in April."

"There is no April, Josh. There has never been an April. Only you have April."

"Because I, unlike you, realize the significance of the April anniversary. You remember when you came back, looking all pathetic and pitiful…"

"I did not look pitiful."

"Who's telling this story? You looked pitiful with your ankle all bandaged up. Help me Josh. Take me back Josh. I'm sorry I ever left you Josh."

"I am now because I have to listen to you do a really bad imitation of me."

"Anyway there you were, your damaged pathetic, pitiful little self and I think it was raining because your hair was all wet, and I thought…. thank God she came back."

"I know. You said, `Thank God there is a pile of stuff on the desk.'"

"Yeah but I was thinking ohmygod what if she hadn't come back? What if I had lost her?"

"That's what you were thinking? Really?"

"Yeah you seemed to know stuff, weird stuff about me in like seconds. Like when you would order my lunch and tell them to leave off thpickle because you knew I didn't like them."

"Actually I just always ate the pickle before I gave you your lunch because I did like them."

"Well there goes a precious memory ripped to shreds."

"But I did figure out the extra mayo thing on your turkey right away. And I always knew when you were getting tired because you did this thing with your eye where you rubbed it. Just the right one, which is really very cute because Nate does the same thing. I always knew any time I saw you go for the eye to downshift to brainless tasks that just required a signature."

"Yeah stuff like that I missed. You got me."

"I got you."

"And I wanted to keep you. Of course at the time I didn't know why it was so important that I keep you."

"Because you were dense."

"I suppose. I just knew I needed you," Josh said sincerely.

Donna sniffled a little bit as her emotions overwhelmed her. 

"Oh, Donna…don't cry."

"But you're being so sweet. We can keep April if you want," she sobbed. 

"Let's do this. I want to be with you, just you, tonight. I'll asToby to watch Nate and I'll tell him not drink."

"You would do that?"

"Sure. Honestly, I think he has enough common sense that he wouldn't drink anyway, but if you want me to say something I will. Then we can go out and pretend to be a normal married couple celebrating their wedding anniversary."

"And if we happen to sway a few voters with the image of the perfect family?"

"Well then that's just cake, Donna."

"You know that's part of what I love about you, you can be so sweet and utterly ruthless all at the same time." 

"Let's go find Toby."

****

"Why did he do that?"

"He was trying to score a basket."

"But why is he hanging from that thing."

"It's a net. And because he likes to show off."

"He's going to bweak it."

"No they've reinforced the steel around the rim. They very rarely break anymore."

Josh and Donna watched as Toby explained the basics of what looked to be a pre-season Knicks game to their son. Little did he know how much trouble he was in for.

"A field goal is thwee points?"

"Yes, it is."

"Is a basket six points?"

"No it's two."

Nate nodded. "How come they don't have helmets?"

"Because this is basketball not football."

"Oh." Nate continued to watch the TV. "How come they keep bouncing the ball? Why don't they just thwow it."

"It's called dribbling and it's the rule."

"Mommy says I dwibble. That's why I have to have a top on my sippy cup. That's a wule too."

"Hey Toby can I see you in the kitchen for a sec," Josh asked him.

"Sure." Toby stood and saw Donna in her dress. "Well, well, don't you look… pregnant."

"You really need to work on those compliments for pregnant women Toby," Donna informed him.

"You look pwetty mommy." 

"Thank you sweetie."

Toby glared at the kid and realized he'd just been outclassed by a four year old.

Once they were in the kitchen Josh started to get slightly fidgety. "What is it?"

"Our baby sitter canceled on us and we were wondering… it's our anniversary."

"Which one?"

"Wedding."

"Fine. I can watch the kid." 

"Yeah great. Here's the thing though, Donna can get really paranoid about stuff so just to make her okay with everything she wanted me to ask you if you could not drink until we got back. I know she's crazy. But you know how first time mothers are and …"

"Josh, don't worry about it. If Donna doesn't want me to drink, fine. It's not like I need to have a drink every night." Toby looked down in his hand and realized he was holding a beer bottle. "I'll pour it out."

"No that's fine. Finish it. And you can have soda or water. Or milk."

"Milk?"

"I'm reaching."

"Go."

They reentered the living room and Josh gave Donna a nod. "Okay buddy you be good for Toby." Josh said giving his son a quick kiss on his head.

"Okay buddy," Nate nodded still studying the basketball game no doubt gearing up for his next round of questions.

Donna handed Toby a slip of paper. "This is the restaurant where we are going to be and this is Josh's cell phone number. Nate can havtwo cookies in a little bit, not three, he'll tell you three becaushe's tricky like that, but the rule is two. How many cookies do you get Nate?"

"Thwee."

Donna gave him a look then turned to Toby. "See I told you he's tricky like that. How many cookies do you get Nathan?" 

"Two," he huffed.

"Two cookies. And some milk if he wants it but only in a sippy cup with the top on tight."

"Because I dwibble," Nate sighed. 

"Got it."

"Come on, Donna. Toby's going to be fine. We're going to miss our reservations."

Donna walked over and gave her son a loud kiss on the cheek because she knew it would make him laugh which it did. 

They left the house and as soon as they did Donna asked. "So you talked to Toby."

"Yeah. Everything is cool."

"You blamed it all on me and my paranoia didn't you?"

"Yep."

"Okay just checking."

"Senator Lyman, I hate to bother you but can I have your autograph. I just know you're going to be elected."

Donna watched the blonde buxom girl fawn over her husband and wondered if she was even old enough to vote. Since she was obviously old enough to have her boobs done, Donna had to assume that was a yes.

"No problem." Josh signed the napkin.

With great difficulty Donna noted as he tried to see around the woman's breasts that she was so very obviously shoving in his face. 

He handed the napkin back to her and smiled lingering just a fraction too long on her chest. Donna supposed she couldn't be too mad. He was after all just a man.

When Josh turned back to his wife he knew the look instantly. "What?" he asked striving for innocence and failing.

"They were fake, Josh. Mine are at least real," Donna pouted.

"And I love yours."

"Do you love them all the time or just now because they're bigger."

"All the time." After five years of marriage he had these answers down pat.

"When do you like them better?"

Oooh, that was a tricky one. "I like them better when they're in my hand," he smiled smoothly. That's right: Josh Lyman master husband.

"You're really getting good at this marriage thing."

"I know."

"And since you're getting so good at it, that thing that we put the pin in a week ago…It's time to take it out."

"You mean the color of the nursery?" he asked knowing perfectly well that wasn't what she meant, but hoping to avoid the discussion altogether lest it erupt into an argument in which case he'd be out some hot anniversary sex.

"The other thing."

"Oh that one."

"You're being unreasonable about this Josh. I know you don't have a problem with a mother who works outside of the home."

"I don't. If a woman needs to work or wants to work that's her choice."

"Thank you."

"But I didn't think it would be your choice."

"It's not like I want to go back to work for someone else Josh. This isn't about me having a job, it's about me being there for you."

"Yes, but then who is going to be there for Nate and the little one?"

He had a point. "I know you, Josh. You don't do anything in half steps. If you're elected as a Senator you're going to try to be super Senator."

"Try to be."

"Josh," Donna growled warning him that this was serious. "I know what that world is like. Especially for someone like you. You live it and breath it. You will end up working all ours of the day every day sharing every meal, every success, every failure with your assistant."

"So this is a jealousy thing? Don't worry about that. I'll hire someone ugly if it makes you feel better."

"You're an idiot.

Josh was confused. "So this is not a jealousy thing."

"It's not about what she or even he looks like Josh. It's that you'rsharing what will be the biggest part of your life with someone else. Someone … not me."

Understanding finally hit him. "I get it. You're afraid you're going to be left out."

Now he was getting it. "Yes."

"You're afraid we're going to end up like Leo and Jenny."

"Yes," Donna whispered tightly.

"They got back together."

"After having been divorced for five years. Is that what you want?"

"No, no. I just… I guess I'm not worried about that. You think the office will become my life. That it will consume me."

"It did before the last time you were in DC. I know. I was there."

"Exactly. You made it easy. I didn't have a wife or kids to go home to back then. My friends, my work, and you were there. So it was easy to let the job become my world. But now my world is different. You'rnot going to be at the office so I'm going to have to go home if want to be with you."

"And you'll do that? You'll come home to me?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes. I don't want to share every meal, every success, and every failure with some damn assistant. I did that with you because you were you."

"I was me?"

"Yes! I didn't share my life with every assistant that I ever had. Hell, Donna Erica worked for me in Hoynes office for years and the most we shared together was a cup of coffee, which she brought me by the way, my schedule, and maybe a couple of jokes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"She didn't know about the mayonnaise thing."

"No I had to tell her every time I ordered turkey. Please please tell them to put extra mayonnaise on the sandwich."

"Otherwise it's too dry for you."

"Exactly." Josh reached across the table and took her hand fiddling with her wedding ring. She already had to remove her engagement ring because her fingers were swelling a little, but he knew that she would try to hang on to the wedding band for as long as possible. "You're the only person I want to share my successes and failures with, although I think we might be overstating things when we say failures because I like to think of them as setbacks."

"So you'll try to work reasonable hours."

"As reasonable as I can."

"And you'll tell me everything that's going on."

"Everything I can."

"And you won't treat me like the little woman."

He eyed her belly and smirked. "Donna, there's really nothing little about…"

"Don't finish that sentence," she warned him. 

"Kay." He smiled then thinking that the worst was over and it really hadn't been that bad. "You know we're going to be the coolest couple in DC."

This made her smile. "You mean like Ben and Sally."

"Yeah. We're going to be Josh and Donna of DC."

"I could be Donna of DC."

"No sweetie, not Donna Does DC. I know you're a little randy right now but keep in mind we've got a reputation we need to maintain."

"You are so not getting anniversary sex tonight."

"Hey Toby," Josh called out as he stepped back to let Donna through the 

front door. Donna walked through the door with her swan shaped doggie bag in hand then stopped abruptly when she saw Toby come from the kitchen with what looked to be a glass of bourbon in his hand.

"First one, I swear," he said raising the glass. "I heard the car pull up and figured I was safe. And after trying to explain the merits of the box and one defense versus man to man to your very inquisitive son, I felt I deserved it."

Donna attempted a smile. "I brought you back leftovers."

Toby took the bag. "I didn't figure you would leave leftovers in youcondition."

"I didn't. They're Josh's. I'm going to go check on Nate."

Josh sat on the couch and groaned in pain against the stuffed feeling in his gut. He was contemplating loosening his belt yet another notch and realized he was going to actually have to start watching what he ate. 

Toby sat on the couch next to him and was poking at the leftovers.

"So Nate was good."

"He asks a lot of questions."

Understatement of the year, Josh thought. "Yep."

"And we spilled a little milk. Those damn sippy cup things don't stay where you put them when you're trying to pour milk into it."

"Nope." A lesson Josh had learned long ago. The key was to pour the milk slowly and gently.

"And I gave the kid three cookies."

"Yeah. I always cave too, but I don't tell Donna. You know how she gets with her rules."

"I mean a man's entitled to three cookies if he wants them."

Josh just laughed. Toby would try to rationalize an extra cookie as a Constitutional right.

"Okay, well I'm going to bed."

Toby grunted. "Anniversary sex."

"You know about that?"

"I was married."

"Yeah but this is our fifth anniversary so that's got to be extra special right? I mean better than fourth year anniversary sex."

Toby nodded and Josh got had an extra bounce in his step as he left the room in search of his wife. 

He headed for Nate's room first and listened for a bit to the sound of his son breathing. 

And by the time he made to the master bedroom Donna was already ibed

"Donna?"

"Hmmm."

"You're in bed already."

"I'm really sleepy Josh."

"But…" He couldn't whine about anniversary sex. Not to an eight month pregnant woman.

"I'll make it up to," she murmured curling into her pillow. "After the baby."

And there it was ladies and gentlemen. Donna was the ultimate walkinhormone right up until the last month. Then some weird internal switch went off and she was transformed from sex kitten to nesting woman.

All hopes of anniversary sex gone, Josh changed from his suit into boxers and a T-shirt and got into bed with his wife. 

She turned towards him wrapping an arm around his waist as she snuggled her head on to his shoulder. Oh well, he thought, it wasn'as good as anniversary sex but it wasn't so bad either

Then he felt her hand drifting south. Really south.

"Donna!"

"You're such a sucker," she chuckled.

Whoo hoo, he thought. Sex kitten still lives!


	5. Middle, The 5

 

**The Middle**

**by: Dee**

**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
 **Rating:** MATURE  
 **Disclaimer:** Not mine. His.   
**Summary:** Josh and Donna 5 years later. Sequel to "The Beginning"  
 **Feedback:** Fun.   


* * *

"Josh." 

Josh came out of the bathroom dressed in socks, pants and a shirt. Hreached for the tie Donna had left for him on the doorknob then stopped. Donna was sitting on the bed with her hand on her stomach.

"What?"

She looked up at him. "I feel ooky."

"Oh no. Not ooky. Not today."

"I think. Maybe. It's hard to remember if this was the ooky I felwhen I had Nate."

"But Donna there is the rally tonight. The election is tomorrow. Can't you just hold it for two days? Then we're free and clear."

"Josh, I can't hold it."

Josh got down on his knees in front of her belly. "Please baby, please, if you could just wait two more days, just two more days…"

"Josh! You're going to give him or her a complex."

"No I'm not."

"She or he is going to think that you don't want him or her."

Josh spoke to the belly again. "No I want you. I've been waiting foyou for months. And if you could just hang in there for two more days daddy would be so grateful."

"Oh great. That's swell Josh. Give the baby an impossible task right from the beginning. She is so going to have complex now."

Josh rested his head on her belly in defeat. "Okay. I'm sorry. If you want to come now, that's fine."

"I don't know if he or she will or not. I'm just saying I feel ooky."

"Okay."

"I'm going to go get Nate."

Donna left the room and Josh sighed. So much for well laid plans. Chances were pretty good he was going to meet his new kid today. Thimade him break out in a huge grin.

Down stairs Toby was drinking his coffee and reading the paper, Nate was into his cereal and Donna was sitting at the table stirring her tea, again and again, and again.

"Ooky, huh?"

She looked at him again with a slightly squeamish expression. "Definitely ooky."

Toby looked up from his paper. "What? What's ooky?"

"Donna," Josh told him.

"Donna is ooky?"

"I was ooky the day Nate was born," Donna explained to Toby.

"I'm not ooky," Nate volunteered.

"No sweetie. Mommy is ooky."

"Why?"

"Because I think the new baby is coming soon."

"My sistew?"

"Or brother, yes," Donna said smiling. It was bad timing but it waexciting.

"Maybe it's not the baby," Josh suggested hopefully. "Maybe it was something you ate last night. What did you eat?"

"What did we have for dinner last night?"

"Pot roast," Toby offered.

"Okay so pot roast, potatoes, and vegetables. And then I had some pickles with peanut butter. And then I had some ice cream. And then I had some hot chocolate. And then I had some peppers with honey."

"Oh my God," Toby groaned.

"That's a pretty normal night except for the peppers," Josh noted. "Maybe it's the peppers."

"Maybe."

"It's not the peppers," Josh groaned. "Okay, I'll call Charlie and tell him to cancel the rally."

"No," Donna insisted. "You don't need to cancel it. It's only iFairfield. You can be there and get back here in time if I start to have contractions."

"Donna I'm not leaving you alone here."

"I can stay," Toby said. "I still have to finish your acceptance speech. You don't need me at the rally."

"You haven't finished my acceptance speech?"

Toby just looked at him.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever. So you're saying do the rally?"

Donna nodded confidently. "I felt ooky all that day, but I didn'have Nate until almost three in the morning. You can do the rally anmake it home in plenty of time."

"I'm only an hour away."

"Yes."

Josh seemed to weigh this. "If you feel even one tiny little twinge…"

"I'll call you immediately."

"All right. I'm heading down to headquarters. We want to check the numbers one last time."

Toby stood up. "I'll come with you for an hour or two. I want to go over some last minute stuff with Charlie."

"Shouldn't you be working on my speech?"

"What? I've got all night. I think better under pressure." 

"Whatever." Josh stopped Toby as they reached the door. "Are you sure you're okay with staying because I can stay."

"Yeah. What's the big deal?"

"It's just that … this is serious Toby if something happens."

"Nothing is going to happen. She's going to start to havcontractions you're going to come home and I'll watch Nate why she does her thing."

Josh breathed a sigh of relief. "You're right. Okay, let's go."

********

"I'm doing fine," Donna told Josh over the phone at eight thanight. "Not even a little twinge."

"Are you still feeling ooky?"

"Yes, but I think I'm going to make it."

Toby looked up from his mound of crumpled paper and breathed a sigh of relief. He'd been nursing his beers all night in fear that she was going to go into labor. As a result his writing was crap. He immediately got up and poured himself a double bourbon and began to think in earnest about what Josh would say after he won.

"How's the rally?"

"Noisy," Josh shouted through the static. "Charlie is calling me I've got to go. I'll call in another hour."

Donna hung up the phone and tried to concentrate on how she really felt. Ooky. Definitely ooky. "Nate should be asleep by now. I'm going to go take a bath."

"Kay," Toby muttered writing something then scratching it out again. He'd lost it. All ability to write, to express, to communicate or to articulate was gone. He felt empty of inspiration and there was no reason for it. Josh's message was clear and focused. He wanted taccomplish certain things for the people in his state, for the peoplin this country. He wasn't as eloquent as Bartlet when he spoke but he was so emphatic that he always came off to the public apassionate. And people responded to it. 

This speech needed to be passionate. And instead it was about as dull as a dance at all boy prep school. Toby got up from the table and brought the bottle back with him this time to be more efficient. He poured himself another double this time neat and hoped that he could somehow channel Hemmingway. 

An hour later and all he'd done was managed to get himself drunk. In front of him on the table was a blank piece of paper. It mocked him and reminded him that talent could be a transient thing.

"Okay!" Donna sang from the doorway of the kitchen. "It's time. didn't think it was going to be, but then I got the twinge. Then mwater broke but I won't tell you about that. I called Josh. He's on his way directly to the hospital, because things seem to be happenina little faster than I ….."

Donna's body bent over as she clutched her stomach and tried tbreath through the pain.

Toby just stared at her and felt his body break out in a sweat.

After a minute, Donna recovered and smiled a little shakily. "I forgot what it was like. Whoa that hurts. Okay, I'm going to go get Nate. You're going to have to take us to the hospital, then you can take Nate home once Josh gets there."

He watched her walk back up the steps somewhat gingerly and shook his head trying to clear it. Desperately, he tried to remember how many drinks he had but the number eluded him. 

It didn't matter. He was fine. So he had had a few drinks. He could still walk. He could still think. He would just take it slow. No big deal. 

"I'm sorry sweetie, I can't carry you. I might drop you," Donna told Nate as she took his hand and led him down the stairs. The boy warubbing his eye clearly confused as to why he had been awoken from sound sleep.

Toby walked to stairs and hauled him into his arms feeling himself lose his balance as he did. He had to take a few steps back to catch it, and then he was fine.

He was fine. 

Donna in the mean time was pulling a duffle bag over her shoulder and grabbing a coat for herself and Nate. Once she put her coat on shturned back to Toby. "Put him down and let me get his coat on."

"Shouldn't he… I mean shouldn't we dress him?" Toby asked again shaking his head to clear it.

"No, he'll be fine in the pajamas. Come here Nate." Donna put his one arm into the coat and stopped as another contraction seized her. She turned her face away from her son so he couldn't see that she was in pain. After a minute, she was able to bundle him up into the coat.

They walked out to the Jeep and Toby stared at it as if it were the enemy. Donna was busy securing Nate in the car seat while Toby opened the driver side door. 

He fumbled a bit with the keys, but was finally able to fit one into the ignition. He tried to ignore the fact that his hands were shaking.

Donna climbed into the passenger seat and put on her seat belt.

"So Josh isn't coming here," Toby repeated confused that what had seemed like a simple plan had suddenly gone so wrong.

"No I told you he's meeting me at the hospital. The contractions are too…"

Another one gripped her and Toby watched in horror as her facscrunched up in pain. She gritted her teeth and started pantinholding on to the dashboard for dear life. After a minute it seemed to ease and she was breathing deeply.

"Lets go now," she told him. 

He nodded and started the car. Donna kept glancing over her shoulder to check on Nate. He wouldn't understand what was happening and she didn't want to frighten him. Her hope was that he would doze off, but she could see his eyes were now open and alert.

"It's okay Nate. We talked about this. I have to go to hospital thave the new baby."

"Why?"

"Because I need some nice doctors to help me. We'll meet Daddy and Charlie there. Then Charlie and Toby will take you home and tomorrow you can come visit me and the new baby."

"Kay," he whispered.

Donna turned back and saw Toby turn the steering wheel too much tcorrect the car after the curve. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he said shakily as they rounded another corner. "How do get to the hospital?"

Donna's eyes were now pinned on the road. She could see him driving consistently over the yellow line and back. Then over the yellow line and back.

"Toby what are you doing? You're all over the road."

"I'm fine. I'm fine," he insisted rubbing his hand over his face tclear his vision.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "You're…" Another contraction hit and shalmost bit her tongue off trying to hold back any noise. Screaming was not going to help and it would only upset Nate, but she couldn'hold back a low groan. As soon as she recovered her eyes were on the road again. This time they were drifting right. 

"Pull over," she told him.

"It's not that far. Right. You said it wasn't that far. Just …"

A car was coming towards them and beeped its horn loudly as Toby began to drift left. He over compensated and turned hard to the right driving them off the road. They bumped along a rocky shoulder for several yards until he was able to stop the car abruptly.

"Oh God. Are you okay? Are you okay?"

Donna struggled to contain her fear. Nate seemed stunned but other wise unhurt. Okay, she told herself think. They were only another mile or two from the hospital. All she needed to do was call a cab or 911.

Donna looked around for her purse. No purse. "No cell phone." 

Toby shook his head. 

"I'll drive," she said undoing her seat belt.

"You can't drive. What if you have a contraction?"

"I trust my son's life and my baby's life with me during a contraction more than I do with you right now. Get out of the car!" They were crossing in front of the car when Donna felt another contraction begin. 

"Maybe we should just wait here?" Toby suggested.

"I can't," she hissed letting the pain take her. "They're too close."

"Mommy! Mommy! I'm scawed!"

Obviously sensing trouble Nate did the sensible thing and startecrying. Donna wished she could join him. Once the contraction passeshe got back into the driver's side. "I can feel when they're coming," she said aloud more for her own benefit than for Toby's. "I'll just pull over when they start to come."

Toby dropped his head in his hands unable to contemplate what he'done. What he had almost been responsible for.

"Nate, sweetie, I need you shush. Mommy needs to concentrate when she's driving."

Donna started the car and they made seven minutes down the road until the next contraction hit. She pulled over and this time couldn'control a low pitched squeal which made Nate cry harder and caused Toby to open the car door and puke his guts out.

Then they were off and driving again. The next stop came six minutelater.

******

"Hi. I'm Josh Lyman," Josh told the nurse at the emergency room desk.

"Oh Senator Lyman of course I've seen your commercial. You seem like such a nice man."

"Thanks, I need to know what room my wife was taken too. She's having a baby."

"Yes, I know, she was in the last commercial. You have such a beautiful family," the older woman gushed.

"Yeah, thanks," he said getting a little agitated. "Uh my wife. She would have been admitted," Josh checked his watch. "About twenty minutes ago."

"I'm sorry Mr. Lyman, we haven't had a pregnant woman through here in more than two hours. And I know I would have recognized your wife. She has such pretty blond hair."

"She's not here."

"Not yet. Maybe she got held up at home. You should call her."

Josh backed away from the desk confused. "But she told me she waleaving right after she hung up. She said they were getting pretty strong pretty fast."

"Even so, it can take hours and hours. Maybe she decided to take a shower first. Many mothers do that."

It sounded reasonable but Donna had definitely given him the impression that she was on her way. That had been an hour ago.

"Charlie, give me my cell phone will ya?" Charlie who had Josh's coareached into the pocket and pulled it out for him. 

"What's up?"

"Donna's not here."

"She probably just got held up."

Josh hit a button and waited. Five rings later the answer machine picked up. He hit another button and the voice messaging service on Donna's cell picked up.

Worry settled in. "She's not picking up at home or on the cell."

"She's on her way. She probably forgot her phone."

"Yeah," Josh said but he felt in his gut something was wrong. She should have been here. 

They sat down in two of the plastic chairs that faced the entrancewato the emergency room and waited.

"Maybe I should go to the house," Josh suggested.

"Then you'll be there and she'll be here," Charlie said reasonably. "She's on her way. Everything is going to be fine."

Josh looked at Charlie and nodded. Then he checked his watch. Suddenly worry condensed into fear.

***********

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Donna screamed. They were only blocks away but she'd had to pull over one last time the pain was so intense. They were coming every four minutes and she was afraid if she didn't make it to the hospital in this last attempt she was going to have to deliver in the car.

"Mommy!" Nate howled. 

This time Donna couldn't take the time to comfort him. She needed to get to the hospital in the next four minutes. She inhaled deeply and pulled the car back on to the road

******

"This is crazy! Where the hell is she?"

"Josh spazzing isn't going to get you anywhere."

"This isn't spazzing. This isn't even close to spazzing. Spazzing is next and trust me when I tell you it won't be pretty." He considerehis options. "Give me the keys. I'm going to look for her."

"I'm not letting you drive like this. Just wait …"

Charlie turned and saw an ambulance pull up to the doors. He felt his heart drop and thought that if Donna was pulled out from the back of that truck he was simply going to have to knock Josh unconscious.

Instead an older woman was wheeled in on a gurney and the ambulance moved on. Behind it though was a jeep. "She's here."

Josh bolted out the emergency room and stopped dead in his tracks tsee Donna practically falling out of the driver's seat. "What the hell were you driving for!"

"Josh!" she screamed clutching her belly.

Immediately his arms were around her. A nurse rushed out behind them with a wheel chair and Josh lowered Donna carefully into it. She was doubled over and groaning but after a few seconds she was able to speak again. "Nate. He's crying."

Josh saw his son in his car seat trying to shatter the windows of the car with the octaves he was reaching. "Charlie, get Nate!"

"What happened? Where were you?" It was then that Josh saw Toby staring at him from over the hood of the car. 

"Can we talk later and have the baby now please!" Donna shouted.

"We're taking Mrs. Lyman to room 201 Mr. Lyman. You can catch up with us there." The nurse wheeled Donna through the doors of the emergency room. Charlie was holding Nate who was wrapped around him like boa constrictor. 

Josh turned to Toby his voice deadly calm. "Why was Donna driving the car?"

"Josh… I…oh God." He stumbled a little bit and reached for the car to steady himself.

Josh approached him and from a foot away he could smell the bourbonPure white rage flooded his system in a way he didn't think he had ever felt before. He charged Toby grabbing his shirtfront and shovinhim up against the hospital's brick front.

"You're drunk! You had my family! My family and you let them… You let her…"

"Josh!" Charlie tried to pull Josh of Toby. 

"I trusted you! I trusted you and you could have…you could have… I could have lost…" Josh let him go and swayed back feeling a wave onausea overwhelm him. The possibilities were too much to consider. Too horrible to wrap his brain around.

Charlie grabbed Josh by the shoulders and shook him. Nate was still howling, now clinging to Josh's leg

"Listen to me. Look at me. Look at me." Josh did and finally was able to focus. "Donna needs you. Now. You need to get a grip and get in there. I'll take Nate home."

At the mention of his son's name Josh looked down at his leg. He pulled Nate's arms away and got on his knees and held him. Probably too tightly. "It's okay buddy."

"Daddy!" he screamed into Josh's ear.

"I know. Shhh. Shhh."

"Mommy huwt! Mommy huwt!"

"No, she's okay. She's with the doctors and they're going to helher. Nate I need you to be brave now okay. Can you be brave?"

Nate shook his head. Which made Josh smile and helped him to retain his sanity. 

"Yes you can. You can be brave." Josh pulled away from him. "You need to go home with Charlie so I can go be with mommy. Then tomorrow you can come back and see the new baby."

"My sistew?" he said between sniffs and sobs.

"Yeah. Now I want you to be brave and get back in the car with Charlie. Can you do that?"

This time he nodded. Josh stood and picked up his son waking back to the car. He hooked him in his car seat and turned to Charlie. "You'll take him home and settle him in bed for me?"

"Yeah."

"Then you tell Toby to pack his things and get out of my house. Tonight."

Before Charlie could say anything Josh was walking through themergency room doors

************

"You're at nine centimeters already. If you can hang in there, there is really no need for the epidural at this point. You can start pushing soon."

She was dizzy she was in so much pain. "Yeah. Sure. Hang in," shpanted through another contraction

Josh came in, dressed now in scrubs and gripped her hand with hiown. "Nate," she gasped.

"With Charlie. He's fine."

"Toby was…"

"He's gone," Josh cut her off. "Gone."

Donna nodded not really having the energy to deal with Toby's problems right now. 

The doctor came in the room with a big smile. "Well Senator it looks like it's all but official. Back to Washington."

Josh nodded absently pushing Donna's damp hair off her face. 

"I just saw a poll that…"

"Hey," Donna shouted. "I'm a little busy here. Could we focus on getting this baby out of me!"

"Yes, Mrs. Lyman. All in good time." The doctor lifted she sheet covering her legs. "It looks as if you're ready to start pushing. Just follow my lead. When I tell you push, push, but when I tell yowait you need to do that too. Okay?"

Donna squeezed Josh's hand and desperately tried to control the urge to push. "I have to pushhhhh!"

"Let her push, damnit!" Josh shouted remembering now how unnerving the whole delivery experience was. 

"See listen to my husband. He's going to be a Senator!"

"Okay, Mrs. Lyman… push."

******

An hour later a healthy Jessica Ann Lyman was born weighing in at just over seven pounds. Mother and father were recovering nicely.

*******

"Josh."

"Hmm."

"Josh wake up."

He was sitting in a chair with his head resting on her bed. "Five minutes," he mumbled.

Donna nudged him with her knee and his head bounced up. She was sitting up in bed, the baby curled in one arm. Josh saw the tiny face under the hat and blanket and beamed.

"She's beautiful," he whispered reverently.

"She is. Call Charlie and tell him to wake Nate."

"Don't you want to get some more sleep first?"

"No I'm too excited. We have to call everyone. Your mom, my mom. CJ, Sam, everyone!"

"Okay. Okay," Josh said sitting up. He checked his watch and saw that it was after eight in the morning. They had gotten a few hours osleep at least.

"Oh my gosh! Josh!"

"What?" he asked alarmed. After the night they had last night, hisystem couldn't take any more stress. He still wouldn't let himself think about what could have happened. 

"It's Election Day and I'm not going to be able to vote!"

He smiled then and stood to kiss her gently on the lips. "I think I've still got a good chance even without your vote."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," Josh laughed. Then his face grew serious and his eyes mehers. "I love you."

Donna cupped his face in her free hand. He didn't say the words all that often. Sometimes she thought it was because they meant too much to him. That he said them now told her how deeply he felt it, how worried he'd been. But they were okay now, this family of four. "I love you too. Go get our son so we can introduce him to…"

"His sis-stew."

"Yeah," Donna chuckled. "His sis-stew."

Josh stood up and stretched then headed for the door when Donna called out to him, "And don't forget to vote on the way back. My vote is one thing but this family really should be represented in electing you to the United States Senate."

The Senate. It had been a dream of his since he was kid. But seeing his wife holding his daughter, knowing that is son was safe at home, Josh realized he'd had the wrong dream as a kid. This is all he should have ever wanted. Because this was all that needed

His family.

The End


End file.
